• 9: The Cross and the Lynching Tree

  • Feb 28 2022
  • Length: Not Yet Known
  • Podcast

  • Summary

  • In this episode of Critical Reads, we will be discussing The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone. Here’s a brief summary of the book courtesy of the author/publisher: "The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African American community. In this powerful new work, theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk. Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and black death, the cross symbolizes divine power and black life God overcoming the power of sin and death. For African Americans, the image of Jesus, hung on a tree to die, powerfully grounded their faith that God was with them, even in the suffering of the lynching era. In a work that spans social history, theology, and cultural studies, Cone explores the message of the spirituals and the power of the blues; the passion and of Emmet Till and the engaged vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.; he invokes the spirits of Billie Holliday and Langston Hughes, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ida B. Well, and the witness of black artists, writers, preachers, and fighters for justice. And he remembers the victims, especially the 5,000 who perished during the lynching period. Through their witness, he contemplates the greatest challenge of any Christian theology to explain how life can be made meaningful in the face of death and injustice."
    This week's "Musings of Tired Black Social Worker" segment topic is Celebrating BHM and Processing Florida's "White Discomfort Bill" 

    To purchase the book, visit: The Cross and the Lynching Tree via Amazon or The Cross and the Lynching Tree via Orbis Books
    Other sources mentioned in this episode include:
    • Critical Race Theory by Wikipedia
    • Florida Advances Bill That Would Ban Making White People Feel Bad About Racism, and No, That’s Not a Joke by Bess Levin
    • Florida bill to shield people from feeling ‘discomfort’ over historic actions by their race, nationality, or gender approved by Senate committee by Amy Simonson
    To check out the CR podcast content calendar, visit: https://soulsessionswithneph.com/critical-reads-podcast
    To find out more about me or to consume more of my content, visit soulsessionswithneph.com. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook using the handle @soulsessionswithneph, or email me at connect@soulsessionswithneph.com. Thank you again for your time and support! 
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